Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of February 5, 2016. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors.
Amoral – In Sequence (Imperial Cassette)
Beacon – Escapements (Ghostly International)
Breakbot – Still Waters (Ed Banger Records)
Burnt Palms – Back On My Wall (We Were Never Being Boring)
The Cult – Hidden City (Cooking Vinyl Limited)
Degradead – Degradead (Flying Dolphin Entertainment)
DIIV – Is The Is Are (Captured Tracks)
Divinity – The Immortalist Part 2. Momentum (No Label/Independent)
Dr. Dog – The Psychedelic Swamp (ANTI-)
Drowning Pool – Hellelujuah (Entertainment One Music)
Elton John – Wonderful Crazy Night (Island Records) EVOL – Future (Epic Records)
Field Music – Commontime (Memphis Industries)
Fleshgod Apocalypse – King (Nuclear Blast)
Foxes – All I Need (Epic Records)
Francis – Marathon (Popup Records)
Frostbite – Etching Obscurity (Tmina Records)
Hey Marseilles – Hey Marseilles (Shanachie Ent. Corp.)
Jagged Leaves – Nightmare Afternoon (CTD)
Junior Boys – Big Black Coat (City Slang)
KING – We Are KING (KING Creative)
Lucinda Williams – The Ghosts Of Highway 20 (Highway 20 Records)
Majid Jordan – Majid Jordan (Warner Bros./OVO Sound)
Moomin – A Minor Thought (Smallville)
Nonkeen – The Gamble (R&S Records)
Obscura – Akróasis (Relapse Records)
Ocerco – A Desolação (Signal Rex)
Odyssey – Voids(Bandcamp)
Orchid – Sign Of The Witch (Nuclear Blast)
Porches – Pool (Domino)
Product of Hate – Buried In Violence (Napalm Records)
Prong – X – No Absolutes…
From an editorial standpoint, the Year-End features are a lot of fun, despite the hectic scheduling and frenetic coordinating necessary to ensure we meet our [perpetually-malleable] deadlines. This is especially true for the Users’ Year-End list, which requires me to rely on the site’s contributing contingent to create the blurbs that complement each album in the feature. Not only are the Contributors tasked with all the writing, but there are occasions where they need to identify and recruit other users to alleviate the burden with similar energy and gusto.
Regardless of your opinion on the Users’ list – yes, we’ve heard plenty of you in regards to the Staff list – it takes an enthusiastic and reliable bunch to pull this off without a hitch. I’d wager that, all things considered, both features turned out rather well.
To say thank-you to the contributing reviewers for their hard work for the 2015 list, I’ve awarded them some additional, one-off “face time” on the blog. I left the theme open-ended and to each individual writer’s own devices. Where one might want to write about his favorite album this year, others might prefer instead to champion for an album that seemed to have gone under-appreciated or unrecognized on the site. Perhaps someone else wanted to write a treatise on why Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz is really 2015’s Album of the Year.
Please enjoy this 10-item featurette, and if you have other ideas that you’d enjoy contributing to or reading, don’t hesitate to keep in touch. –Jom
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found late December/early January to be a dead zone for music. Aside from a few stray finds, it’s typically just a time for me to reflect upon the previous year, look at others’ year-end favorites, and see if I can augment my musical collection with their discoveries. That’s not a bad thing though, as the process often results in some of my most highly-rated records (see: The World is a Beautiful Place’s Harmlessness). So if that’s the route you’re used to taking, then I fully encourage you to continue. However, if you’re a little bored with 2015’s leftovers, it’s often fun to turn the page and peak ahead at what 2016 has in store.
Offering a glimpse into the future is nowhere near as good as what we already know rocked the socks off 2015. I suppose that it goes without saying that hindsight is 20/20, thus it is important not to hold this playlist to the same standard as a “year best” list. Plus, as much as I’d love to know every album that 2016 will bring us, the truth is that I typically play things pretty nonchalantly and just wait to see what comes my way as the months roll by. As a result, the below playlist is merely an appetizer sampler. You’ll probably like a few tracks and hate the rest, but that’s okay because the point is to just see what’s out there. Also, I was kind of limited to…
Love it or hate it, progressive metal is a tough genre to tackle because it takes true skill to balance technicality and emotion. At the same time, it’s another skill to make it sound completely engaging even when it’s nothing new. Even the genre’s most essential artists have trouble going about their music regarding this aspect. Intronaut accomplished this with flying colors due to their incredible musicianship and engaging vocals, both clean and harsh. In addition to this, this album’s melodies prove to be absolutely breathtaking. The band manage to tread familiar ground while consistently making things sound quite fresh in the process, which is quite admirable. It’s for these reasons that The Direction of Last Things exists as one of the best releases of the year. –Nick Mongiardo
It isn’t – and probably never will be – anyone’s favourite Titus album, but with the benefit of hindsight, 2012’s Local Business was a record that had to be made. Hell, the mere thought of topping The Monitor must have been daunting in itself, so it’s to their immense credit that Patrick Stickles and co. circumvented the…
I understand that this person means well in his/her own mind and is only going off personal experience or religious persuasion, but I personally dislike eulogies where the speaker asserts that “[So-and-so] is in a better place.” What makes the eulogizer think that the deceased wouldn’t rather be here with us if he could? Daniel Davis (known to most here as paradox1216) passed away this year after a long battle with cancer. Although we all paid our respects when we learned of the tragic news in October, my hope is that we can integrate his positive energy, enthusiasm, and musical curiosity into our own site presences. As problematic as this site can be on the back-end with technological headaches and other details that are completely outside of our control, Sputnikmusic is nevertheless a sanctuary, an interconnected respite for the weary, a place in which we can escape from “the real world” for a few minutes per day to engage colleagues and friends about our shared love of music in meaningful ways. You can…
It took me a long time to come around to Choose Your Weapon. Even as an avid fan of their debut, the follow-up is incomparably perplexing. Every time you start to wrap your head around the groove, tracks will spiral off in opposing directions — if you’ve ever heard a song that melds Afrobeat and chiptune as coherently as “Atari”, let me know. This steepens the entry curve somewhat, and means it may come across as flighty and directionless if not given the time of day (*cough* Fantano *cough*). However, those who delve deep and give it that time will find one of the most bizarrely enriching listening experiences of 2015.
Soul revivalists all too often pigeonhole themselves into a specific niche, but Hiatus Kaiyote make use of many strains of jazz, soul and funk from the last 50 years. You would think this smorgasbord of influences would cause the album to come across scatterbrained, but the band always somehow manage to rein it back in thanks to the enigmatic vocals of Nai Palm. Through every absurd twist in Weapon‘s wild ride, Palm is always there, adjusting to match the backdrop while providing some much needed grounding for listeners losing their way amongst the labyrinthine compositions. Have no doubt: it can be an exhausting and complex journey,…
Despite expanding his sound to fill a much broader scope, Kristian Matsson’s fourth full length shares a vital component with its predecessors: an unmistakable feeling of connection with the listener. Deemed his most personal work to date, Dark Bird is Home is affecting and passionate, but not without the lyrical genius of his past efforts. Fueled by topics like the death of a family member and the separation with his wife, Matsson conjures up a release that feels like an unashamed examination of life, rather than an exercise in self-pity. Make no mistake: the album is a grand adventure through life’s bleaker circumstances. Whether it be the horns that bounce around on “Slow Dance” or the gradual build-up in the title track, one can’t help but feel as though they’re part of the journey this time around. –Atari
Perhaps it is a bit surprising to see TesseracT’s Polaris on this list, mostly because of the number one complaint about it: the lack of real standout tracks. In some respects, this is understandable; however, what ultimately makes this album so great is its simplicity. It’s the uncomplicated instrumentation, the one-dimensional atmosphere, and…
Welcome back! It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a year since the highly acclaimed SMA’s (Sowing’s Music Awards) made its debut, and – to your certain delight – the feature has returned in 2015 to bring you the best of…well, whatever I say is best. I’m sure you are the most excited you’ve been all year long.
A typical reaction to the announcement that the SMA’s have returned.
Last year we saw the likes of Gates, The Afghan Whigs, St. Vincent, and Low Roar hoist the seriously cool shit trophy [pictured below]. Many worthy artists are considered, but it takes something truly special to garner an SMA. Acclaimed musicians like The War on Drugs,The Antlers, and Sharon Van Etten have all previously been nominated but walked away empty handed. In short, this is a damn prestigious thing – and at the very least, it beats out the Country Music Awards.
There were many personalities that I considered bringing on board to host this year’s installment. Conan O’Brien, Stephen Colbert, Donald Trump — however, Judio! had dibs [citation: 12/02/14], so I do request that you direct all of your questions and frustration over this list at him. If you’d like to offer praise, my shoutbox is always open. And of course, without further ado, here are the 2015 SMA’s. I hope you find them as riveting as I do. PS: I’ve dedicated a heartfelt 2015 mixtape to all of Sputnik, which…
It isn’t often that I feel compelled to share cover versions of songs. Then again, most covers aren’t so stunning that they stop you in your tracks. Run River North’s take on the famous Killers’ single “Mr. Brightside” is absolutely breathtaking, and if you haven’t already stumbled upon it by accident, then you are about to be in for a real treat. Take my word for it: if you can spare the next four and a half minutes, listening to this may very well be the best decision you make today.
Run River North takes the familiarity of a pop song that many of us grew up with and turns it completely upside down — in the most beautiful way possible, of course. From the pristine acoustic picking that gently opens the track to the towering duet that draws everything to a fittingly epic close, the track has been very creatively re-imagined. For a song that’s been revisited by so many artists, it’s safe to say that nobody has ever done “Mr. Brightside” as well as this group. They even give the Killers a run for their money. But before you begin casting your stones and accusing me of blasphemy, I implore you to give this the attention it deserves. If you’re intrigued, you can check out more by this band here and/or read up on their self-titled LP. Enjoy.
It’s a bit of a busy time this season, but I hope you’re all doing well. As a consequence of the busy season, I couldn’t corral all the staffers to contribute, so some writers and/or genres are going to be underrepresented.
This will hopefully change as we gear up for the Year-End list, and perhaps my Lions will actually decide to win a game by December. To help out you non-sports people, I won’t use specific names.
Star Receiver: “Alright, we need to score two touchdowns in two minutes. What are we going to do?”
Quarterback: “I dunno, hopefully we just march down the field and throw it deep to you twice. Let’s see what our offensive coordinator says.”
Offensive Coordinator: “How many time outs we got?”
Head Coach: “Zero. We have no timeouts.”
Offensive Coordinator: “THREE YARD SCREENS UP THE MIDDLE, I GUESS! BUT FIRST LET’S RUN THE BALL TO REALLY SURPRISE THEM.”
I need to adopt a new team.
Anyway, enjoy these last few weeks as we roll into Q4. –Jom
David Maxim Micic feat. Dan Wieten – “Satellite” (08:36) Eco Listen if you like:Devin Townsend, The Omega Experiment Bandcamp | Facebook
While I absolutely adore ECO, as I adore most of David Maxim Micic’s unreasonably brilliant albums, “Satellite” is undoubtedly its most forward and upbeat rocker. Built around a charming little marimba piece and utilizing the very talented…
Hi there! Apologies to those of you who missed out on our celebratory rainbowsplosion on Friday.
People got a bit cranky with me, and perhaps understandably so — my favorite remark had something to do with “keeping the politics out of a music site” — despite that user 5’ing the entire Ted Nugent discography. Another user inquired as to why we decided to “fag up the main page”, which seemed odd considering there were no large bundles of sticks anywhere to be seen.
Despite our Communist name, Friday might have been the most important SCOTUS ruling since Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS, and there’s no reason why we can’t dance.
You know, perhaps there’s lots of lumber in those pants.
On another note, what are you doing for your extra leap second? Some of you might not have been alive during the Y2K pandemonium, but alas, I assure you that, somehow, your computer will be just fine.
Let’s carry on, then, to our Q2 mixtape, which our staffers are again delighted to present to you. Featuring selections from Titus Andronicus to The Drays to Nicolas Jaar to Icicle to Witchwood to God is an Astronaut, please feel free to stream the playlist below for some of our favorites between April 1st and June 30th.
Not everything is in the Spotify playlist, though, so keep your eyes peeled for the streamables. Enjoy! –Jom
It’s Opening Day! Well, sort of, anyway. Does it really count if there’s only one game going, and one of the teams is the Cubs?
It’s also the Master’s next week.
Either way, just like the lion and the lamb adage about March, the year’s first quarter came and went, and the staffers are pleased to present the first rendition of their quarterly mixtape. Featuring selections from CHON, Cirrus, Niko Is, and Tanlines, you can stream the mixtape (save for a handful of songs, which have their own embeds) here.
For future mixtapes, what would you like to see? Should this be a mix of staffer favorites, or should the mixtapes serve as a platform to unearth favorites that would otherwise go unnoticed?
Your feedback is appreciated. Enjoy! –Jom
CHON – “Can’t Wait” (03:08)
Grow Listen if you like: Plini, Mestis, Polyphia Bandcamp
CHON’s long-awaited full-length debut really pushed all the right buttons in all the right ways. The album (Grow) is chock full of memorable hooks, intricate leads, rapid key changes, driving drum beats, groove galore, and – a first for the band – some great vocal melodies.
“Can’t Wait” stands out to me as one of many favorites from Grow because it manages to stuff all of these elements into one incredibly memorable track. Relaxed, fluid verse section? Check. Exploding…
Out of respect for him and his family’s privacy, I ask that you don’t try to delve into the cause or why it happened. This is a time for grieving, and a chance for us to remember the life of one of our community members. Pmmets07 was a genuinely nice guy with a stand-up personality, and even if you only interacted with him on a limited basis, that was plain to see. I don’t know what I could possibly say to do him justice, and given that I didn’t know him very well, I don’t think it would be appropriate to try. So what I’d like to do is start something of a memorial thread for pmmets07. Comment with your favorite memory, something you liked or admired about him, a song/album that reminds you of him, or just to send your best wishes.
Also, if you haven’t already, take a moment to show his profile some love.
When I first heard Illinois, I found it to be bloated and annoyingly festive, even for my rich taste. I didn’t bother to follow up much after that, conceding that he was “talented, but not for me.” I did give a passing listen to The Age of Adz – mostly out of a desire to see what all the fuss was about – but then too, the man’s compositions felt insane and I just couldn’t relate to any of it. Perhaps I was simply lacking context. Or maybe I’ve just lost my mind over the years.
Either way, Sufjan gradually (even begrudgingly) became a mainstay within my musical collection.
It all started on a boring, hot summer afternoon in 2010. The air conditioner blasting on high, I sat in my bedroom idly staring out the window. I had just finished up school, and with no friends around me the world just felt colorless and I couldn’t shake this sensation that it was slipping away from me. I had Facebook chat open in the corner of my monitor, pathetically awaiting social interaction, but nobody obliged. Cooped up in my parents’ house, it seemed like I was squandering the best years of my life. So yeah, it was depressing times and all that shit. Anyway, I specifically recall b
As the curtain closes on 2014, it’s difficult to fathom just how amazing of a year it was musically. This is a statement that seems to ring true for a lot of people almost every year, as we look back at the music we’ve acquiesced since January and marvel at the strength and diversity of the collective whole. Maybe we’re all too simple to please. Perhaps we just know what we like and pursue it with reckless abandon. Either way, I personally think that 2014 is one of the best years for music in a long time. So instead of drawing up a plain looking top 25 list (which I almost did), I’ve decided to do something unnecessarily over-the-top and showy to commemorate how I feel about 2014. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first annual Sowing’s Music Awards (SMA). Only the worthy have been nominated, and only the best out of those will receive the somewhat coveted (but not really) SMA trophy, which I can only imagine would look something like this:
Only the most brilliant artists will get to line their trophy cases with these! But without further ado, I present to you the first category. Thank you for reading on – if you choose to do so – and I hope you enjoy the 2014 SMA’s.
